There is something Sven used to be quite embarrassed about. It has brought shame to his family but he has learned to live with it and is willing to share with the public. What Sven, the Swede, is just absolutely terrible at, is... assembling IKEA furniture.

He just cannot do it. He has tried multiple times, but each time there is always some screws or nails left over. Or the drawer does not slide in and out smoothly. Or the scaffolding was installed the wrong way so now he has to take it all apart and start over.

A specific memory that usually comes to mind when this is brought up is when he first moved to Vancouver to play in the SMJHL. He got an apartment a few miles from the arena, but did not have any furniture at all with him. Luckily he had at least ordered a bed to be delivered the same day he would. But it probably took about a week until he finally went out and visited the closest IKEA to start filling out his apartment to make sure it looked like someone actually lived there.

He went to IKEA with fellow draftee Sabo Tage and ordered a bunch of stuff. A couch, coffee table, dining room set, and more. Unfortunately for Sven, Sabo did not have time to stick around and help assemble the furniture. So it was up to Sven to somehow get everything together. What followed was a full week of hammering, screwing, gluing, cursing, surrendering, and hopelessness.

The couch had three big pieces that needed to be put together. Sounds simple enough, right? Nope! Sven could not find the screws needed and had to call IKEA, only to find them the next day having rolled under his bed. The dining set had to be re-assembled 4 times due to the chairs being dangerously wobbly or the table pieces not wanting to be together. The fancy electric, standing desk he bought still does not work. He put it all together following the manual, but no luck. At least it works as a table...

When Sven was traded to Carolina he decided to leave all this mess behind and buy only assembled furniture in the future. And he has never been happier.